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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,122 Likes: 1 |
Lois hadn't managed to fall asleep until well after midnight, and consequently, she awoke late and feeling bedraggled. The house was silent. She found a note on the kitchen table: 'I have gone to search for Mom. I'll be back around lunchtime, Clark.'
She made breakfast and took it to the computer, trying to convince herself that this was a good opportunity to get a large slab of the first chapter written.
Twenty minutes later, her toast and coffee were cold, and she had written one line. One poorly constructed sentence that was nothing more than a stain on her computer screen.  Corrina.
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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the mother of all evil Cliffies!!!!!
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Apr 2003
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Powerful chapter! Things are definitely hurtling towards the final part (and most likely, the mother of all cliffhangers.)  I'm glad we finally know what Moyne did to Clark ... not physical rape, but setting up mental associations of sex with horrible things. A very difficult thing for Clark to overcome, as he already knows, but if anyone can help him, it will be Lois. *fingers crossed* Clark shut the door of his bedroom and collapsed onto the bed.
His tears rose, hot and bitter and contaminated with hopelessness.
He let them come. He let them sear his mind and lacerate his heart. He let them rattle his body. This, I think, is very healthy, though. IIRC, this is the first time we've seen Clark cry at all in this story. Even when things were at their lowest point, he would just withdraw into himself, not show his emotions outwardly. And just like Lois needed to grieve for Linda and what had happened to them both, Clark needs to let himself do the same. He needs to get angry and shout about the injustices he's suffered, and he needs to sob his eyes out a few times to help bring that emotion to the surface. I feel so sorry for him right now, but I think this will ultimately be a good thing for him. As for Menzies and Scardino ... wow. I'm glad to see that Dan really has grown that backbone, and that he might get rewarded for it. He's become a smarter, better agent because of his interactions with Lois (and Clark). But I think he's right to question whether there is anything he can do at this point. Why would Clark want to help people who have treated him so awfully? We know it's because he's Clark (and because he could never let Lois die, if he had any chance of stopping it), but no one else would know that. Powerful, riveting stuff, Corrina! I'm on the edge of my seat, waiting for more! Kathy
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2005
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Delightful part. Nice cliff hanger. Of course the really evil cliff hanger would be if at the end of part 29 Clark's radio has failed after his impact into Nightfall and we are left not knowing if he - stops Nightfall
- lives
- loses his memory
- returns to Lois
- and so forth
Or she could have a New Kryptonian starship arrive in time to observe Clark as he tries to divert Nightfall. Clark could succeed but be left helpless in space. The New Kryptonians could decide they don't need any tests to decide if Clark is worthy, that his defense of Earth shows his worth. Clark be rescued by the New Kryptonians and have lost his memory. At this point the New Kryptonian starship leaves for home.
Framework4
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Columnist
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Columnist
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I agree that this was a powerful chapter, both with regard to the emotions and actual content, i.e. the world ending etc. I think the "screaming match?" between Lois and Clark was good and Clark needed that cry! I agree with Kathy that he hasn't really let his emotions out until now and that, like Lois grieved, he needs to let out some of those bottled up feelings. Wow on Menzies and Scardino. Glad the latter grew a backbone and I think the most powerful line from that part was: Would he be willing to save the planet that had treated him so abominably? But he is Clark and he can't stand by knowing people is/will be hurt or that it will mean the end of earth. Oh, I am also even more convinced (not that I needed to be though) that P29 will be the mother of all EVIL cliffhangers! Looking forward to P28! ETD: I forgot to mention, but I think what Moyne did was very Moyne of him.
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Great part. I really liked the interaction between Menzies and Scardino. We might we the mother of all cliffhanges in part 29, but I think you just really gave Clark the chance to really get back to his life, no fear of being discovered, no more hiding and even the possibility to realize his alien-ness might be a very good thing (bring on the tights!). PS: Lois should have forgotten her idea to have Clark kiss her and just gone ahead herself. Probably much more effective than arguing 
Cris
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Beat Reporter
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OMG! What an amazing chapter! And I got chills knowing that Clark was going to have to save the world - being the only one who can.
LOVE THIS FIC!!!! Cannot wait for the next part.
LOIS:I don't like you.
MAYSON: Really? Oh god, that is such a relief - I don't like you either.
LOIS: That makes me feel so much better
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Holy cow, an asteroid is coming, and Clark's taking the morning off to look for his mother?!
Agreement with the others - a shouting match is a good thing to get a few issues out in the open. Did Lois say they only escaped a week or so ago? Get real, Clark, we didn't make it to the moon in a week's worth of research. Give life some time to heal.
Peace,
JD
"Meg...who let you back in the house?" -Family Guy
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Speechless 
Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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I'm with Laura. Speechless. I'd love to write some insightful comments and interesting critique but all I can come up with is... "Wow!" Powerful writing.  Very well done. 
"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution" - Daniel Webster
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,948 Likes: 28 |
Patrick's suggestion sounds quite intriguing. So, how is Lois going to manage to come after Clark? Does Earth have a secret space program? *blinks* Oh, wait. Patrick *didn't* hack into your computer, did he? "That's why I'm trying to help you," she said. "That's why we're doing this together."
"I don't want to do it anymore."
"I agree." *blinks* Shock rocketed through Clark. Had she given up on him? Wasn't that what he wanted? Wasn't it? "Then we're agreed," he said. "I'll sleep in here from now on."
"No," Lois said. "No. That wasn't what I meant. I think we should skip the therapy, and -" Oh. Okay. Looks like she finally snapped. Did Moyne rape you?"
"No!" 1+1=2? Eric discerned the hint of accusation in Scardino's tone - as if he were suggesting that Eric had used the family connection to pass on agency information. Eric glared - partly to see if Scardino would melt and partly to give himself time to assess the surprising possibility that the younger agent might have - finally - developed a backbone.  A backbone. How can this be? We've been so careful in selecting tools for the job. It all sounded reasonable. Which left two possibilities. Either Neville had gotten it wrong and the alien was dead, or Scardino's development of a backbone had also fostered a sense of loyalty and the ability to lie convincingly. Curiouser and curiouser. "I won't be meeting you," Scardino said. "I'm going to Kansas. Get me a private flight leaving from the Metropolis Air Base in half an hour." *blinks* So, will the alien be able to decide for himself? Or will his warden have to decide the the alien would like to become a naturalized citizen and be allowed to pay taxes in exchange for the privilege of living and working in their country? Oh, and marry said warden? Does some calculations. Oh dear. Trail's going to end with Clark in space, or lost, or something like that. Oh dear. Oh dear. Michael
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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I'm playing catch-up, as promised! Wow, wow, WOW, Corrina! Love where you are taking this! The struggles between Lois and Clark are heart-wrenching-- and you had me worried about the article! But now that the world will need Clark to save it, maybe the world will forgive the alien-- I had to pause at this part and comment, because I wanted to speculate on how this will play out. The stakes are so much higher than usual, simply because Clark has been seriously abused by this world. But we have to hope that the goodness in him, the strength and integrity Lois sees in him, will carry him through, and help him save the world.... OK, off to read the next parts posted!! 
Reach for the moon, for even if you fail, you'll still land among the stars... and who knows? Maybe you'll meet Superman along the way. 
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,122 Likes: 1 |
Joy Cliffy? Kathy Clark cried in the cell - in the very early days after Lois had gone in there. Their relationship hadn't advanced enough that she felt she could go and comfort him. As you said, the crying is probably therapeutic - having lived for 7 years with the feeling of being constantly watched, it probably represents a step forward in acknowledging that he has the freedom to express his pain without an audience. Patrick The New Kryptonian scenario is truly evil . If, after all they've been through, I were to throw in separation, amnesia, and kidnap ...  DW Moyne - yes. I felt that the dots were there from the moment Moyne mentioned rape at the end of Junction. It took until now to join them. Cristina PS: Lois should have forgotten her idea to have Clark kiss her and just gone ahead herself. Probably much more effective than arguing When you get a few parts into Highway, you'll probably see why I didn't let that happen. It was never a part of the original plan, but when I was writing it, I thought about it a lot. A few FDK-FDK's ago, I mentioned that one possibility for an nfic story would be to divert from the story and explore a 'what if'. This would be it - what if Lois had stopped arguing and started kissing? bellarase Things can turn around, can't they? Jen Clark's fear is that he will *never* heal, regardless of how much time passes. I agree that it might not be realistic, but after what he's suffered, I think we can excuse him for not thinking too straight. Laura I don't know how to respond to that FDK Vicki Glad you liked it Michael We've been so careful in selecting tools for the job. I don't know how universal this is, but in Australia 'tool' is used to mean 'idiot'. There's a TV show that awards 'Tool of the Week'. In that context, your sentence is  MozartMaid Nice speculation! Thanks, everyone Corrina.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,948 Likes: 28 |
Huh, I haven't even realized that 'tool' might not be a universal expression in English in regards to idiots  Michael
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